Several people have asked me about my daily life on formspring (a site that allows people to ask questions anonymously). They want to know how I fit in my work, if I have any help, when I find time to keep my house in some semblance of order, etcetera. Last week, I took photographs throughout the day so that I could share a day in my life with you.

My Day: March 24, 2010

6:00 – Good morning! Eleanor’s up, so I am too. I change her diaper and nurse her, then put her in the exersaucer to play while I shower. Once I’m out, I let her crawl around and play while I finish getting ready.

7:30 – We wake up Brandon, then Eleanor and I head downstairs for breakfast.

8:30 – Brandon leaves for work.

9:00 – My assistant Erika is here from 9-12 three days a week. She helps me with my shop (Pink Loves Brown), but she also watches Eleanor when there aren’t a lot of orders to fill.

9:05 – I take Eleanor upstairs to get her dressed, nurse her, and put her down for a nap.

9:30 – I work. I write blog posts, respond to emails, edit photos, do shop maintenance… whatever needs to be done that day. Today I began writing a new post and also setup a little photo shoot for it.

10:30 – Eleanor is up from her nap. Today Erika has finished everything for the shop so she hangs out with Eleanor for me so I can continue working.

11:00 – Lunch for Eleanor.

12:00 – Erika’s done for the day. I nurse Eleanor, then it’s lunchtime for me.

12:30 – It’s not too bad out, so it’s time for a little walk!

2:00 – I nurse Eleanor again and she takes a second nap. I finally finish the post I had been working on (“Thinking About Food”) and publish it.

2:45 – She’s up. Not the longest nap, but not bad. I’m just happy she took one at all — she often skips the second nap. Now we play. And cuddle. And read books.

4:00 – I nurse Eleanor again.

4:30 – I’m feeling productive so I try to fit in a little tidying up. I don’t get around to everything though, including the basket of laundry that has been in the living room for the past few days.

5:15 – Brandon’s home!

5:30 – We start preparing dinner together. We’re making falafel from a recipe in a magazine which claims to be ready in 20 minutes. It always takes us an hour.

6:00 – Eleanor gets dinner. We’re still making ours.

6:45 – Well that took even longer than expected. We finally get to eat.

7:00 – Brandon and I take Eleanor up to bed. We change her, she nurses (again), and then she goes to sleep for the night.

7:20 – I change into pajamas, wash my face, and brush my teeth. I started getting ready so early a few months ago because I would put Eleanor down, get ready, and then go in to check on her and make sure she fell asleep. Now she goes to sleep without any problems, so I could probably start pushing this part of my day back, but it’s kind of nice to relax in my pajamas!

7:30 – I put that basket of laundry away that was on the chair downstairs.

7:45 – Brandon and I looked at a few jackets for him online and he reminded me that I needed to get back to someone via email. Back to work for a while.

9:00 – I’m sleepy! No, I can stay up a little longer. *yawn* I’ve finished up my work, so Brandon and I hang out on the couch, watching TV and chatting. I had to move someone out of my seat.

I am trying to decorate my recently purchased condo and always come to your blog for ideas! I love the containers you have on your kitchen counter with fruit painted on them and a little bird on top! Can you please advise where you purchased them? Thank you in advance!

it’s always wonderful to be able to peek in someone’s life that you follow on the web, it makes it seem more personable… so thank you for that…
i have a quick question (you might have already done it), i was going through some of your older blogs and saw your kitchen curtains that you hand made and is being held with a tension rod…well i wanted to see if you can find time to do a step by step on how to make those beautiful ribbon curtains… i am in need of the exact thing for our kitchen curtains…. thanks for any help you can give…

Sounds like a full day! I love your blog. Random question…I saw your picts of your adorable nursery. Where did you find the pink toy basket? I am looking for something similar for the nursery I am currently putting together. Baby girl due in May!

Thanks for sharing your day with us. I’m a little jealous (in a good way) that you get to work from home and spend time with your girl as well as get help…but I’m sure it’s not all as easy as I imagine it.
I just love your hair and your husband’s tie – where did you/he get it?
As for the 20-min meals: I think they count the time if you have all the ingredients chopped up and measured (like they show on the cooking shows)… but who has all that stuff prepared and ready aside from the cooking shows?

I like this post. You have a very wonderful life. Imagine if you had to sit in a cubicle for eight hours (like I used to). It’s death. You really don’t work all that many hours, so you must be working smartly. I envy you that.

I am always amazed that you look so chic and put together. Since I’ve been working from home, I look like a slob. I’m going to change that though. Makeup really makes me feel better. I’d been wondering how it was that you always had pretty makeup clothes and your hair done. I see it’s because you have three hours before you start work. I had trouble putting on makeup when I was in an office because I always had to rush out the door. It doesn’t seem that you are rushing at all. It’s not that your day is not full, it just doesn’t seem chaotic. This is a much healthier lifestyle, we could all learn from.

The other thing I am always wondering about is the source of your happiness. You always seem so happy. I admire that. Do you think your life is going so well (great career, home, husband, etc.) because you are happy? Or are you happy because you have such a great life? I’m just wondering, have you always been a naturally happy person?

this sounds like my life! minus the cool business…i’m taking pictures of my little one which are similiar to your monthly ones of E. have you thought how you’re going to compile them at the end of the month?

Okay, I’m seriously jealous! My son took 45 min to nurse and did so every 2 hours- so I’d only have 1 & 15 minutes or so between feedings- and that lasted until he was almost 10 months old! And he didn’t sleep more than a 3 hour stretch at night until he was 17 months old. Ugh! I love him to bits and bits but would have loved to have gotten him on a schedule like yours. I would have been a much happier mommy that first year! You are so inspiring!

I so miss the business of raising children. Exhausted but fulfilled, there is nothing like it. Savor this, it ends far too soon.
Now I am sure you are a fabulous cook, but girl you have got to eat real tomatoes. From the garden, vine ripe, red and juicy, the ones that smell of sunshine.

I just want to say how proud I am of you for nursing. I know, I know, not much from an anonymous stranger. I nursed my son till he was 18 months, and I cried when the final day came. If you can get through the tough times, it is so rewarding. I feel like it’s a dying art and I resent the cow powder companies. I know it’s for people who have trouble latching on, but I sometimes think people are just lazy.

Here’s a useful tidbit: I always knew nursing would be good for developing baby’s allergies, but I found out at teacher training (about the brain) that every time mum kisses baby or touches them, they pick up the germs that are on baby, then the mum’s antibodies are tailor-made for baby’s germs and put in the breast milk. I thought it was interesting and I hope you do too.

I know it can be tough, but it looks like you have a fabulous life and are very lucky. I know we’re glad you can be a mum and keep feeding US stylish posts. Wow – timetabling your shower. I wish I had done that… built it into routine. I was a zombie and barely took care of myself. But you are much more organized than I’ll ever be.

Hi! I have a suggestion for Eleanor not taking her second nap…..I have two kids who were EXCELLENT sleepers and when each of them stopped taking their afternoon nap I decided to try to move them to a one nap a day schedule. It took about a week but that seemed to be what needed. I just kept moving there early nap up by 30 minutes. Eventually, rather than taking two short naps they took one long nap. It was great! They slept for about 3 hours (11-2) and I got so much work done!

I loved reading this post! It was so cool to get a peek inside a day in your life…what a great idea, I think I may need to do this :) It would be cool to record a day via pictures. btw, eleanor is such a cutie!! and your house looks great with the fact that you’re home and have a baby! i wish i had an excuse :)

I enjoyed reading your post! I noticed the 2 books you have in one of your photos. Did you get to read them and if so, how were they? Right now I’m reading “Eating Animals” by Jonathan Safran Foer. Maybe you’d like it. I’ve heard a lot of great things about it. Thanks for all your wonderful blog entries! Eleanor is beautiful by the way.

I love your “new” hair Nicole. It really suits you. Thanks for sharing your day with us. My 11 month old nurses frequently too (including at night still)…it is nice to know that this is normal from a mum who doesn’t pretend. :) Thank you.